Page 46 of Nikola
“Damien, is there something bothering you?” I signed slowly, taking in his slumped shoulders and the way he was wringing his hands under the table after each time he signed. “You’ve been different lately and I?—”
“I’m perfectly fine,” he cut me off, and my brow furrowed. But before I could say anything else, he turned the conversation around. “What’s been up withyoulately?”
“Nothing worth talking about,” I signed, aware of Nikola’s eyes on us. “Tell me what you want for Christmas.”
He smiled, then threw a piece of sweet potato into his mouth. “An Xbox One and the newCall of Duty.”
I grinned. “You got it.”
“But I can tell something is bothering you,” Damien pressed. I debated whether to tell him what I recently learned while I was snooping the other day, but I hesitated. I didn’t like to complain, and I didn’t want to stress my parents. “You can tell me.”
“Trust goes both ways,” I pointed out.
“I’m fine, it’s really nothing. But I know you. I can tell it’s something serious.”
I glanced around, but everyone seemed to be preoccupied with their own conversations. I lowered my hands so only Damien could see what I signed.
“I found something on my papa’s desk.” Damien watched me with confusion. “It’s a marriage contract.”
Honestly, I was still in shock. I couldn’t believe he would have put something like that in place.
“My dad would never allow that.”
“Funny you should say that, becauseSasha signed it too.”
Our eyes darted to the two men who were still bickering on the other end of the table. In all my life, I’d never seen them agree on anything, so to find both their signatures on the marriage contract… Yeah, it was shocking to say the least.
The table’s vibrations had my attention whipped to its source. The Konstantin siblings were all staring at us, and it took me a moment to realize it was Adrik who demanded my attention. The little shit had a smile on his face that would scare off any sane person, but not me. Apparently, you had to be insane to survive our families.
“What the fuck are you two whispering about over there?” he signed, mouthing the words at the same time.
Damien and I answered at the same time, “Nothing.”
“Didn’t look like nothing,” Adrik stated. “If you’re killing someone, I want in.”
My brows shot to my hairline. “What is it with you and killing everyone?”
He shrugged. “My dad says it’s the Nikolaev in me.”
Damien shot him a blank look. “I’m a Nikolaev and I don’t have that problem.”
“If you’re not a bit crazy, you’re not a Nikolaev,” Marietta drawled.
“That’s not nice,” I scolded Marietta with a soft expression. “His calm personality makes Damien the best Nikolaev.”
Marietta rolled her eyes. “Better rephrase that or Nikola will switch his personality tomorrow.”
My brows furrowed, but before I could question her further, Kostya chimed in. “I heard that Nikola has been searching for someone from your past, Skye. From your foster care days.”
“How do you know?” I questioned as I stiffened, my head darting between him and Nikola.
The latter smacked him on the head. “Are you spying on me?”
Kostya shrugged. “Just keeping you in check.”
“I’m older, so I keep you in check,” Nikola warned with a dark expression. “And keep your mouth shut about the search.”
“Did…” I swallowed, my eyes darting between them while my heart thundered in my ears. Since Nikola hadn’t brought it up, I assumed he gave up searching for the woman who had abused me as a child. I should have known better. “Did you find anything?”
